Kristina Rihanoff has defended her romance with former rugby player Ben Cohen after the Strictly Come Dancing professional faced accusations of being a home-wrecker.

The Russian dancer has recently begun dating Cohen, who was partnered with Rihanoff two years ago during a season of the BBC reality TV show.

Cohen's estranged wife Abigail recently suggested on Twitter that Rihanoff played a part in the couple's marriage breakdown, but the 37-year-old dancer has rejected the suggestions.

"He left his wife a year ago," The Mirror quotes Rihanoff as saying. "Recently we started dating but we're allowed to see each other as two single people.

"I don't know why I am always attacked. I am a hardworking, self-made person. I support five people in my family in Russia."

Rihanoff previously dated Strictly dancer Vincent Simone and former boxer Joe Calzaghe, who she partnered on a previous series of the show.